Fire escape



March, 7- c. G. MILLER I 2 FIRE- ESCAPE Filed April 1, 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 1527117 1 1 if a, W

c. G. MILLER I 2,073,312

Mar h 9, 1937.

FIRE ESCAPE Filed April 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/VVE/V 7019.

.I/ PM W Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 1,

8 Claims.

The present invention has reference to fire escapes generally but particularly relates to an improved method for lowering a person positively and safely from the upper floors of a burning building to the. ground below.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bracket that may be quickly attached to the outside wall of the building by inserting the same through an open window and the bracket being held in place by engagement with the inner face of the wall.

A simple device is also provided and with a rope, cable or the like passing through same and one end of the rope connected to the bracket,

the operator mounts a carrier below the device and is securely strapped therein and proceeds to lower himself using powerful brakes provided for the device and. thereby controlling the speed of the descending motion until he alights comfortably upon the ground to safety.

Another advantage of the invention is that it may be constructed in a very compact form so that it may be carried within a traveling bag if preferred, or it may be conspicuously stored in each room of the hotel, or in fact its presence in the upper floors of any building would be a decided safeguard against fire hazard in saving of human life.

The invention possesses further advantages, all of which will become readily apparent during the course of the following detailed description, illustrated throughout the accompanying drawings and more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device with a portion thereof broken, away and exposing the gear mechanism thereof.

Figure 2 is a. vertical section of the device 40 exposing the roller mechanism of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the complete device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the wall of a building showing the bracket in use.

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of one of the rollers of the device, showing the spurs upon the same.

Figure 6 shows one of the unit fastening devices in an open position. 50 Figure 7is an end elevation of the complete device.

Figure 8 is an inner view of one of the units of the device and broken as indicated, exposing an end view of the gear and roller mechanism within the unit. 7

1936, Serial No. 72,136

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the carrier showing the operator of the device therein and in the act of operating the brakes of the same;

the occupant of the carrier is shown in dotted 1 lines as indicated.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the device. I Figure 11 is a section taken directly upon line II--II of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the bracket 1::

of the device. 7

In further disclosing my invention, it is understood that two distinct units comprise the same, and are identical but for the fact that they are right and left respectively, also other' slight differences.

The invention comprises right and left housings I and IA respectively and which are detachably engaged by hooks 2 upon housing I and eyelet members 2A upon housing I'A where located, and are rigidly retained in this relation by fasteners consisting of strip 3 secured to each side of housing I and having strips 3A and 4A pivotally secured to same as at 4, also catch 5A upon housing IA where shown. Referring to Figure 6 it is clear that when strip 4A engages catch 5A it is retained in this relation by strip 3A and housings I and IA will be securely fastened or locked to each other. Guide members 5 are provided and are secured to housing I where indicated.

With reference to Figure 1 it is understood that housing I is provided with a series of gears 6, which are adapted to rotate in either direction simultaneously'by virtue of gears 1 arranged so that all of said gears will mesh at 'all times, and it islikewise understood that housing IA is provided with a similar arrangement, having gears 6A adapted to rotate in either direction simultaneously by virtue of gears IA, and similar to the first-named series of gears all of thelatter gears will mesh at all times.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 8, it is clear that a series of rollers 8 is provided for housing I, and rollers 8A are likewise provided for housing IA. Gear 6 and roller 8 are secured to shaft 9 and drum I0 is also secured to said shaft in housing I, while gear 6A, roller 8A and drum 9A are secured to shaft IDA in housing IA. The remaining of gears '6 and rollers 8 are secured to shafts II respectively in housing I, and the remaining of gears 6A and rollers 8A are secured to shafts IIA respectively in housing IA. Gears 1 are secured to shafts I2 respectively in housing I, and gears IA are secured to shafts I2A respectively in housing IA.

Each of rollers 8 and 8A are provided with a series of circumferentially arranged spurs I3, as clearly shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 2 it is understood that rope A is slidably inserted within the device intermediate rollers 8 and 8A. Tubular guide is provided for rope A within the upper and lower portions of the device, one half of said guide being a part of housing I as at I 4, and the opposite half of said guide a part of housing IA as at I3A, thereby completing the guide when the housings are assembled.

An important feature of the device is the brak ing method employed, which comprises band I5 adapted to engage drum Ill and one end of said band being fixed with stud I 6 upon housing I, and the free end of the band is secured to one end of cable I7, and the opposite end of said cable being secured to lever I8, which is pivotally connected to arm I 9 as at 20, and said arm is fixed with the aforesaid housing.

Housing IA is likewise provided with a brake unit comprising band I4A adapted to engage drum 9A and one end of said band being fixed with stud ISA and the opposite end thereof is connected to cable IBA. The opposite end of cable I 6A is connected to lever IIA, said lever being pivotally secured to arm I8A as at IQA.

A novel carrier is provided and comprises strap 2| to which is secured strap 22, and having hook 23 secured to the first-named strap where indicated, and said hook is adapted to detachably engage U bracket 24 upon housing IA.

A bracket is provided so as to adequately support the device in the operation of its downward movement with respect to the burning building, and which is composed of rod 25 having both ends thereof formed as at 26. Rod 2! is secured to the first-named rod at right angles thereto as at 28, and having hook 29 upon the end thereof which is adapted to detachably engage eyelet 30 of rope A. Rod 3| is secured to rod 21 as at 32, and having the end thereof formed as at 33.

Referring to Figure 5 it is clear that circumferentially arranged metal spurs 34 are provided and are secured to rollers 8 and 8A as indicated.

The complete details of construction of the invention having been fully set forth in the foregoing, the operation and advantage of the device follows:

Referring to Figure 4, after the window has been opened the device supporting bracket is then inserted through same with ends 26 adjacent the window frame, and portion 33 of rod 3| abutting Wall E. It is understood that ends 26 will retain the bracket in the position as shown and being rigidly braced to the building by rod 3| effects a safe support for the device.

One end of rope A is then inserted in the device intermediate rollers 8 and 8A and eyelet 30 upon said rope engages hook 29 of the bracket. The carrier is then connected to the device by means of hook 23 thereof engaging U bracket 24 of housing IA. The operator then mounts the carrier and is securely strapped therein, then grasping arms I8A and I9, also levers HA and I8 as indicated in Figure 9, and may lower his body at a speed governed by brake levers HA and I8.

It has been previously explained that all of the gears and rollers of the device may rotate in either direction simultaneously, however it is assumed that all of said elements will rotate in the direction of the arrows in Figures 1 and 2. It

is understood that gears 6 and 6A and rollers 8 and 8A are secured to their respective shafts so that each of said gears with one of said rollers will rotate simultaneously because they are integral with the same shaft.

Referring to Figure 3, for illustration we will consider the braking unit as connected to housing IA. Drum 9A being secured to shaft IDA, when lever HA is manually actuated band I 4A will be drawn upon said drum, and inasmuch as gear 6A and roller 8A are also secured to said shaft, with the remaining of gears 6A and the remaining of rollers 8A being connected in series, by virtue of spurs 34 upon said rollers being in contact with rope A, it is understood that the speed of the device is checked consistent with the degree in which the aforesaid braking levers are actuated.

The braking unit upon housing is identical in construction and operation to that of the unit just described, and it is further understood that both of said units are operated simultaneously by virtue of levers HA and I8, thereby effecting uniform resistance to rollers 8 and 8A in the operation of the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim. as new is:

1. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each of said units comprising a housing, means upon the top of said housings detachably connecting the same to form a unitary structure, means carried by confronting upper and lower portions of said housings forguiding a cable longitudinally through the structure between the housings, means upon the exterior of said housings and near the bottom thereof whereby the lower portions of the same are fastened in a unitary structure, shafts journaled through said housings, rollers carried by said shafts for firmly gripping a portion of the cable between the guide means, gears in each housing for causing simultaneous rotation of the shafts and rollers in the same direction, and means for controlling the speed at which said shafts and rollers rotate.

2. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each of said units comprising a housing, means for detachably connecting said housings in a unitary structure, each of said housings having a series of gears and a series of rollers secured to respective shafts transversely mounted therein in a manner so that all of said gears and rollers are adapted to rotate in one direction simultaneously, each of said rollers having circumferentially arranged spurs adapted to contact a rope placed vertically through the device said rope.

3. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each ofsaid units comprising a housing and means for detachably connecting said housings in a unitary structure, each of said housings having a drum upon the exterior thereof and secured to a transversely extending shaft, a gear secured to said shaft and a roller secured thereto with the gear intermediate said drum and roller, a band circumferentially engaging said drum, means for fixing one end of said band to aforesaid housing, an arm projected from said housing and near the bottom thereof, a lever pivotal ly secured to said arm, a cable connecting the free end of said band and said lever, so that when the lever is manually actuated said band will arrest the motion of said drum and likewise the aforesaid gear and roller mechanism.

4. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each so as to effect resistance to the speed of the device movable upon of said units comprising a housing, guide means within the upper and lower portions of each of. said housings adapted to slidably receive a rope passing vertically through the device between the units, means for securing said housings in operative relation to each other, shafts journaled through said housings, rollers carried by said shafts for gripping the rope, means for transmitting rotation from one shaft to another and causing rotation of. companion shafts in the same direction, and means carried by one shaft for controlling the speed at which said rollers rotate.

5. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each of said units comprising a housing, each of said housings having a series of gears and a series of rollers transversely mounted therein, a drum disposed upon each of said housings and coacting with said gear and roller mechanism, braking means upon the exterior of. each of said housings coacting with said drums whereby the drums are manually actuated in a manner so as to arrest the rotatable motion thereof and likewise aforesaid roller mechanism which contacts a rope placed vertically through the device, all of said gears and rollers adapted to rotate in a single direction simultaneously.

6. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each of said units consisting of an elongated hollow casing, means for detachably connecting said casings to form a unitary structure, means carried by said casings for admitting free passage of a rope vertically through the structure between the casings, a series of rollers in each casing having circumferentially'arranged spurs upon each of the same for gripping a portion of the rope passing between opposed rollers of the two series, a drum coacting with a rollerof. each series, a brake band engaged about each drum, arms pivoted to said casings, levers pivoted to said arms, and connections between the arms and bands for drawing upon the bands and tightening the same about the drums to control rotation of the drums and rollers. 1

'7. In a fire escape a right and left unit, each of said units comprising a hollow casing, means for detachably connecting said casings in a unitary structure, means for admitting free passage of a rope or cable vertically through said structure, a series of rollers within each of. said casings and gripping means upon each of said rollers for engaging said rope, a manually operated braking unit for each series of rollers including a drum rotatably mounted upon the exterior of each of said casings and means for frictionally gripping the drum, and gearing associated with the rollers and said drums whereby all of the rollers of each series rotate in the same direction and are controlled simultaneously with the actuating of the braking units aforesaid.

8. In a fire escape a device supporting bracket, said bracket comprising a rod having its end portions bent laterally and then again laterally ,to provide offset arms at ends of the bracket for holding the bracket within an open window of a building and preventing movement of the bracket transversely in the window, a rod secured to the first-named rod and extending laterally therefrom at right angles thereto and having means upon one end thereof for 'detachably engaging a rope for the device, a bracing rod secured to the second-named rod, and extending diagonally downward therefrom, and means at the free end of the bracing arm for abutting the wall of. a building and thereby bracing the aforesaid bracket to the wall.

CARL G. MILLER. 

